Review of Express Lane Meals

Carla Correa of the The Baltimore Sun penned a review of Express Lane Meals - and it's a good one. It is nice to see a journalist take the time to actually read the cookbook and form a reasoned opinion about it. (Bitter? Party of one? Now seating!)

In general, the reviewer found that Rachael Ray "doesn’t sacrifice taste or creativity for speed." Cooking purists would likely say that she sacrifices technique for speed, but I don't have technique, so don't notice its absence.

Reviews of two Express Lane Meals recipes are also included in the article, the Thai Chicken Pizza and the infamous Drunken Tuscan Pasta:

Her Thai Chicken Pizza, a traditional crust topped with duck sauce, grilled chicken, cheese, peanuts and veggies including red bell pepper, cucumber and bean sprouts, was filling and packed with flavor. The marinade for the chicken strips was a snap to make and tasted superb; it added the necessary Thai kick without being too peanut-buttery.

Long-cut pasta is stewed in an entire bottle of red wine diluted with water in Ray’s Drunken Tuscan Pasta. My perciatelli soaked up the wine’s color, turning it a pretty purple that made it even more fun to eat. The wilted greens, large slices of portobello mushrooms, cheese and pancetta make the presentation impressive. The pancetta adds plenty of salt, so don’t be overzealous when seasoning the greens.

I can't ever try the Drunken Tuscan Pasta because I have serious reservations about pouring an entire bottle wine into a pot and boiling pasta in it without even reserving a measly glass for the cook.